Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Horse Guide

Horses are a very important part of the game Zelda: Breath of the Wild. In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about horses in Zelda. How do you tame a horse? What kind of gear do you need to ride your horse? How do you name your horse in Zelda: Breath of the Wild? We will answer all these questions and more.

How to Get a Horse in Zelda: Breath of the Wild?

You can find horses all over Hyrule. The best place to start looking is in the open world around Central Hyrule or Necluda. There are several ways of taming a wild horse. One way is to sneak up on the horse from behind and quickly mount it before it has time to run away.

Another way is to use food like Apples or Carrots to tame the horse. Simply approach the horse while holding an apple or carrot. And when it comes close enough, press A/X to feed it. After a few minutes, the BOTW Zelda horse will be tame and ready for riding.

How to tame a horse that is already ridden by the enemy? You need to get rid of the rider. One way to do this is by using a weapon like the Bow and Arrow. Another way is to sneak up on the horse from behind and mount it. This will automatically make the enemy fall off.


How to Name a Horse in Breath of the Wild?

Register your horse BOTW at a stable and then press the ‘name’ button to open the naming screen. You will find a stable during the Seek Out Impa Quest. Get to the Duelling Peaks Stable where you can register your horse. You can choose from a list of preset names or enter your own. The maximum length for a horse name is 12 characters. The cost of registering a horse is 20 rupees. But you’ll get a horse saddle and bridle with you.

After giving your horse a name, be sure to write it down in your inventory so you don’t forget which one is yours!


How to Soothe a Horse in Zelda?

After you soothe your horse, you can train your companion. You can do it by feeding it apples, carrots, or wheat. You can also pet it by pressing the ‘A’ button when you’re close to your horse. If you have a Korok Leaf in hand, you can also brush your steed. Just wave the leaf near the horse’s body. Doing this will increase your bond with your horse and make traveling together much more pleasant.

If something bothers your horse while you’re riding it, try calming it down. Use a gesture that corresponds to what’s happening on-screen. For example, if an enemy is too close for comfort, hold down the ZL button. Shield yourself with Link’s left arm to calm the animal down.


Zelda Breath of the Wild screen

Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Horse Colors

All horses in Zelda: Breath of the Wild have one of five coats. The coat color isn’t relevant to how well your horse can run. But it’s important for collectors and completionists who want to get all of them. Here are all the possible colors a horse from Zelda can have in its coat:

  • Brown
  • White
  • Grey
  • Black
  • Bay – this is a very rare color, you may need to travel far before finding a bay horse. It’s worth trying though because it will make you stand out among other players.

All horses start with two stamina hearts. But some wild horses can also have up to five heart containers. With more hearts, they’ll be able to cover longer distances.


BOTW Horse Stats

The stats of a horse are important if you want to get the fastest horse in Zelda Breath of the Wild. The speed stat is based on your horses’ spurs, not their coat or strength (heart containers). A wild horse can have 0-100 points for each stat:

Speed – how fast it runs across Hyrule fields. This is the most important stat for racing horses and wild mountaineering rides.

Sprint Speed – how fast it sprints when you press the Y button on the Nintendo Switch controller. It’s useful for short races that involve obstacles and jumps over fences.

Stamina – determines how long your horse can run before getting tired. With more hearts, your steed will be able to cover longer distances without resting at a campfire.

Jump – how high your horse can jump. This stat is particularly useful for crossing rivers and gaps. As well as reaching high ledges and platforms.

Load Capacity – the amount of weight your horse can carry in its inventory. Use this to store excess weapons, shields, food, and materials. While you’re out exploring Hyrule on foot.


Where Is the Horse God in BOTW?

The Horse God is in Malanya Spring, near Lake of the Horse God. It’s situated in the southeast of Lake Hylia. Malanya is a Great Fairy trapped in a huge flower bulb. There’s no quest directly leading to the Horse God. So you have to seek this place on your own. You can pay 1000 rupees to Malanya and she will revive one of your dead horses.


Where Is the Giant Horse BOTW?

The Giant Horse is a rare equine that is located in the Taobab Grassland, northeast of Rito Village. It’s difficult to find because it’s very well camouflaged with the environment. The Giant Horse is also much larger than a normal horse, making it easier to spot. You won’t confuse it with another animal, as the Giant Horse is having a modest horse conference.


kid playing Zelda Breath of the Wild

The Best Horses in BOTW and How to Get Them

The fastest horses in Breath of the Wild spawn during race events at Outskirt Stable, Highland Stable, and Ridgeland Tower Region. They are marked on the map by red icons shaped like two checkered flags crossed above each other. The fastest type of these white-and-gray wild horses can run up to three stars (max) in speed. And the second-fastest type can run up to two stars.

To get one of these horses, you need to beat it in a race. You can also try taming them if they’re not spooked by your presence. Just walk up close until they start trotting away, then stop and wait for them to come back. If you have a Korok Leaf or Magnesis, use it to attract the horse’s attention. So you don’t have to chase after it.

4 Rare Horses in BOTW

1. Epona

Epona, Link’s horse from previous Zelda games, makes a return in Breath of the Wild. You can only get her by getting a Nintendo Switch Online subscription and downloading the latest patch for Zelda: BOTW. Make sure that you have fulfilled all other conditions before trying to summon Epona.

What is important? The fact is that Epona has five stars in every stat so she’s the best mount ever. And it really doesn’t matter how many hours you’ve spent taming or riding your horses. If they are not as good as Epona then you should definitely choose this one.

2. The Royal Horse

The Royal Horse is a stallion that has been raised by the Hyrule Royal Family. It can be found after you have completed all four Divine Beasts and freed the Hyrule Kingdom from Calamity Ganon’s grip. Once unlocked, you will receive a cutscene in which Zelda tells Link about three locations where he must look for his horse. These are Faron Grasslands, Lake Tower Region, or Dueling Peaks Stable.

The final resting place of The Royal Horse is at the Highland Stable so it’s best to start looking there first. You need to make sure that the stable is not occupied. This would mean trouble since other players might already be trying to claim your prize.

3. Stalhorse

The Stalhorse is a skeletal horse that can be found near Hyrule Castle. The North Lomei Labyrinth is a sure place to look for this rare horse.

4. The Lord of the Mountain

The Lord of the Mountain is a rare spirit horse that can only be found in Death Mountain. He’s bound to roam around this area after Link beats Vah Rudania Divine Beast dungeon. There are also rumors that you can find him at Mount Hylia during stormy weather. And at night time on Hateno Hill. If you’re lucky enough, he might appear near you as soon as your game starts up.


Zelda BOTW – Horse Gear Guide

You can get a saddle and bridle for your horse in Zelda: Breath of the Wild. One way to get them is by buying them from a stable. However, this option can be expensive and you may not be able to afford it right away. Mind that you can keep up to five horses at your stable. A much cheaper alternative is to find these items through various quests or just loot them around Hyrule.

The Saddle & Bridle appear as two separate items but they function as one piece of equipment for the horse. Once equipped on your horse, they cannot be unequipped anymore until the horse dies. Or you place a new saddle & bridle on it.

To add a saddle and bridle to your horse inventory, approach any tamed wild horses (most likely located near stables) that are without gear. Select Mount Horse from the interaction menu.

Once mounted, you have a couple of options:

  • Press the A button to mount and dismount without damaging any horse gear. While holding this button, you can also play a soothing tune on your flute to calm down the horse.
  • Pressing X will break away from mounting or dismounting allowing Link to jump off. While the horse is still running at full speed (this damages its equipment).

How to Change Horse Saddle BOTW

You can change your horse saddle at any stables in Hyrule. To start equipping new gear just approach the stable master. Select Manage Horses from his menu. This will open up a list of all horses that you previously registered. Select one by pressing A on its name or image icon. Then press X on Switch Saddle or Switch Bridle to equip new gear onto your horse.

Only owned horses allow this customization. As wild animals don’t really care about looking fashionable while running around in nature (even though they are wearing clothes).

What Horse Gear Do I Get from Archery Challenge BOTW?

When you complete the “Archery Challenge” in the game, you will be rewarded with the Knight’s Bridle and Knight’s Saddle. This will allow your horse to take less damage from enemy attacks.


Conclusion

Zelda horses are loyal companions. With the right gear, you can get your horse through any of Hyrule’s dungeons or trials. Complete the quests and get improved horse gear as a reward. This will keep your companion from excessive damage.